No area of public education is immune from these times of rapid change, including the area of adult education. To that end, ACSA’s 2010 Adult Education Conference will focus on creating the new adult school that promotes connections to achieve maximum impact.

The event, to be held Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Sacramento, will provide information on the latest topics facing adult educators today, including California’s new Strategic Plan for Adult Education, the Workforce Investment Act, creating Professional Learning Communities, legislation and trends in technology and virtual learning.

Conference planning co-chair Joyce Lude, ACSA’s 2010 Adult Education Administrator of the Year, said the theme of the event, “Creating the New Adult School: Focus + Connections = Impact,” refers to adult education’s challenge to focus on topics and issues that will allow for connections that will result in the creation of the new adult school.  

“This is not a time to be a mile wide and an inch deep,” Lude said. “Adult education needs to have a laser-like focus on who we are serving, how we can work with our districts and make the maximum impact on our students.”

Lude said Adult Education Conference attendees will be provided with timely information about adult education, have their pressing questions answered, and be able to network with experienced adult educators.

“Attendees should expect to hear information that will help them make strategic decisions for their programs,” she said. “In these times of  rapid change, it is important to get the most up-to-date information and connect with those who are most informed about adult education.”

Lude said one highlight will be a pre-conference workshop designed especially for new adult education administrators. “How Do I Get Through the First Year?” will address budget, state and federal initiatives, credentialing, advocacy in and out of the district and provide opportunities to brainstorm solutions for current adult education issues.

Another highlight includes the final general session, “Creating the New Adult Ed School,” which aims to answer the question, “What will my school look like in the future and how do I get there?” It will provide participants with an opportunity to network and review the hot topics of the conference and identify ways to focus on how to establish connections that will make an impact at their home schools and districts.  

Lude said one benefit of the ACSA Adult Education Conference is that the program is developed based on the wide-ranging needs of adult education administrators statewide.

“The ACSA conference includes a specific workshop for new adult education administrators as well as important information for seasoned administrators to plan for the school year,” Lude said. “This conference is offered early in the school year, which helps with implementation. The focus on adult education, quality of information and the timing of the conference are all reasons to attend.”

Lude said that even though budgets are tight, it’s more important than ever that adult education administrators don’t work in isolation. In many districts, there is only one administrator who oversees adult education, making the job a lonely one at times.

“This conference provides an avenue to gain information as well as network with other administrators,” Lude said. “The shared knowledge and opportunity for targeted questions and networking makes this conference a good investment for both the administrator and his or her district.”

In fact, ACSA’s Adult Education Conference has earned high reviews from past attendees, many of whom said it was a good way to pull together adult education resources and share what’s going on in other parts of the state.

“I want to do what’s best for my school, students and staff. This is my first conference and I am new to adult ed and administration. This conference has provided me with a wealth of information. Now I need time to process this info, put it into action, and network to keep on top of what’s happening,” said one attendee from the 2009 conference.

For more info or to register, click here.